‘Duck Dynasty’ resumes production Monday

Duck Commander Phil Robertson was briefly suspended by A&E from “Duck Dynasty” in December after an interview in which Robertson said homosexuality is a sin. The network quickly ended the suspension of the Robertson family patriarch.
(Photo:
Emerald McIntyre/The News-Star
)

Al Robertson, “Duck Dynasty’s” beardless brother, said both his family and A&E network have put the controversy created by patriarch Phil Robertson’s December comments about homosexuality behind them.

Robertson, the oldest of Duck Commander Phil and Kay Robertson’s four sons, said production on the Season 5 finale and on Season 6 will begin in West Monroe on Monday.

“We had a great meeting with A&E (executives) last week and feel like all of us are ready to move forward with the show,” Al Robertson told The News-Star on Friday. “The production crew came to town this week to begin scouting sites.”

A&E briefly suspended Phil Robertson in December after an interview in GQ magazine was published in which Robertson said homosexuality is a sin.

The network quickly ended the suspension following a backlash from the show’s fans and the family’s position that it couldn’t go on with the show without the patriarch.

Al Robertson shaved his hunting season beard Thursday in preparation for production. Though the former White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ minister is the only clean-shaven Robertson, he does grow a beard during hunting season.

Robertson said the family has enjoyed its annual hunting season respite from filming, but now it’s time to go back to work.

“The beardless brother is back,” Al Robertson said. “We had a great duck season; a great off-season. Now we’re ready to go back into filming and production, so I had to come back without the beard. Somebody has to sacrifice themselves for Duck Commander and the family.”

Robertson said hunting season was particularly therapeutic in light of the controversy surrounding Phil.

“I think especially with what went on it was more important than ever to get away to the duck blind,” he said. “It’s like a sanctuary for us — a refuge.”

But hunting season wasn’t without incident.

Al said earlier this week he tripped and fell into the water while hunting with his father, Phil, and Uncle Si.

“I fell in, got soaking wet and almost froze to death,” he said. “But Dad and Si wouldn’t leave the blind. They told me to suck it up, so I was stuck.”

Al said he will appear in the Season 5 finale and expects other family members to join the cast in Season 6, much like Rebecca Robertson, Willie and Korie Robertson’s oldest child, did for Season 5.

“I think it helps grow the show and open up more storylines,” he said.